Collapsible tubing



March 18, 1947. A. E. CHERNACJK COLLAPSIBLE TUBING Filed larch 1-, 1944 //VVE/V7'0R ABEL E. CHERNACK Patented Mar. 18, 1947 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE TUBING Abel E. Chernack, Elmwood, Conn. Application March 1, 1944, Serial No. 524,599 (or. 138-51) '7 Claims.

The invention relates to collapsible tubing, and more particularly to collapsible or flexible tubing having a supporting and forming spiral, and it is an object of this invention to provide collapsible tubing of the class described formed of a supporting and forming spiral and a relatively flexible strip material engaged therewith. It is a further object of this invention to provide a collapsible or flexible tubing of the type described of improved construction and which may be readily and economically manufactured.

In the drawings,

Fig, 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section. of tubing in accordance with this invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1 of tubing of modified constructions.

v As shown in the drawing, tubing in accordance with this invention consists of a strip metal supporting and forming spiral and a strip of a relatively flexible material secured along its edges to the metallic spiral. In Fig. l of the drawings, the metallic spiral I has its edge portions bent inwardly toward the same face of the metal strip, as at 2 and 3, respectively. The flexible strip 4, which may be of treated or untreated textile material, or other suitable material, has its edge portions folded inwardly toward the same face of the strip 4 as at 5 and 8, respectively, with one edge portion, as 5 engaged with the edge portion 3 of one convolution of the metallic spiral I while the other edge portion 6 of the flexible strip 4 is engaged with the edge portion 2 of the following convolution of the spiral. As the members of the tubing are shown assembled in Fig. 1, the edge portions of the metallic strip are bent toward what becomes the outer face of the spiral I while the edge portions of the strip 4 are folded toward what becomes the inner face of the spiral and the edge portions are thus positioned for interlocking engagement.

In the manufacture of the tubing, the strips I and 4 may be joined together along one edge before the strip I is formed in spiral shape. As the strips are joined, the edge portion of the strip I joined with the edge portion of the strip 4 is bent down so as to positively secure the strips together, the other edge portion of the strip I being left projecting inwardly at an angle from the strip I. As the tubing is formed, the free edges of the strips I and 4 are engaged and the edge portion of the strip I pressed down so as to secure the strips l and 4 in tubular form. The tubing thus formed is collapsible, the convolutions of. the spiral I readily moving toward each other with the material of the strip 4 folding or collapsing to permit the movement of the coils of the spiral I.

The tubing of Fig. 1 is so constructed the spiral I is inside the tubing and covered by the strip 4 but the tubing may be so constructed the metallic spiral is on the outside of the tubing and serves to protect the material of the strip 4 from wear and abrasion. This construction 'is shown in Fig. 2 where the edge portions I2 and I3 of the strip forming the spiral I l are bent inwardly toward the inner face of the spiral while the edge portions I 5 and I8 of the strip l4 are folded inwardly toward the outer face of the tubing. In this construction, as in the construction of Fig. 1, the inwardly bent edge portions of the spiral II are pressed toward the body of the spiral so asto securely engage the edge portions of the strip I4.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, the edge portions of the metal spiral 2I have been bent inwardly toward opposite faces of the spiral; thus, the edge portion 22 has been bent toward the .outer face of the spiral while the V edge portion 23 has been benttowards the inner face of the spiral. The edge portions of the flexible strip 24 have also been folded inwardly toward opposite faces of the strip, thus the edge portion 25 of the strip 24 is folded towards the outer face of the tubing and engaged with the edge portion 23 of the spiral while the edge portion 26 of the strip 24 is folded towards the inner face of the tubing and engaged with the edge portion 22 of the spiral 2|. As in the other constructions, the edge portions 22and 23 are pressed toward the faces of the spiral so as to secure the edge portions of the strip 24 and the opposite sides of the spiral strip may be offset along the longitudinal axis of the strip so that the metallic spiral of Fig. 3 is no bulkier than the metallic spirals of the other constructions.

What is claimed is:.

1. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a helical coil, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions inwardly directed towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to-the body portion of said strip and a strip of flexible material having a body portion of flat transverse section and edge portions directly connected to said body portion and extendin inwardly parallel to said body portion towards the longitudinal axis of said flexible strip, said edge portions of said flexible strip being clamped by said metallic strip edge and body portions and only frictionally held thereby.

2. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a plurality of coils forming a helix, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions inwardly directed towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to the body portion of said strip and a second strip of material having a flexible body portion and edge portions directly connected to said flexible body portion and extending inwardly parallel to said flexible body portion towards the longitudinal axis of said flexible body portion, said flexible body portion providing a smooth surface between adjacent coils of said metallic helix and said edge portions of said second strip being clamped by said metallic strip edge and body portions and only frictionally held thereby.

3. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a helical coil, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions inwardly directed towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to said strip adjacent the inner face of said strip and a second strip of flexible material having a body portion of flat transverse section and opposite edge portions directly connected to said body portion and extending inwardly parallel to said body portion towards the longitudinal axis of said second strip, said edge portions of said second strip being clamped by said edge and body portions of said metallic strip and only frictionally held thereby.

4. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a helical coil, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions inwardly directed towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to said strip adjacent the outer faceof said strip and a second strip of flexible material having a body portion of flat transverse section and opposite edge portions directly connected to said body portion and extending inwardly parallel to said body portion towards the longitudinal axis of said second strip, said edge portions of said second strip being clamped by said edge and body portions of said metallic strip and only frictionally held thereby.

5. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a helical coil, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions inwardly directed towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to said strip adjacent the opposite faces of said strip and a second strip of flexible material having a body portion of flat transverse section and opposite edge portions directly connected to said body portion and extending inwardly parallel to said body portion towards the longitudinal axis of said second strip, said edge portions of said second strip being clamped by said edge and body portions of said metallic strip and only frictionally held thereby.

6. Flexible tubing consisting of a metallic strip in a helical coil, said strip having longitudinal edge and body portions with said edge portions directed inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the strip and parallel to the body portion of said strip and a second strip of flexible material having opposite edge portions directly connected to said body portion and extending inwardly parallel to said body portion, said edge and body portions of said metallic strip clamping individual edge portions of said second strip and only frictionally retainin the same and said second strip body portion providing tubing of substantially uniform diameter.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,974 Carroll Jan. 31, 1905 1,644,553 Trout Oct. 4, 1927 693,000 Frankenberg Feb. 11, 1902 2,022,694 Stone Dec. 3, 1935 1,939,451 Hull Dec. 12, 1933 2,083,937 Begg June 15, 1937 2,145,182 Kirch Jan. 24, 1939 2,340,794 Chernack Feb. 1, 1944 

